


The Golden Sight

by eccentricities_of_kitties



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Almost smut but not really, Blind Character, Complete, Episode: s02e12 Blind Man's Bluff, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Shot, Sentinel/Guide Bonding, Sort Of, its just the emotional/telepathy bond thing, the bonding itself doesn't happen here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 19:37:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13747857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eccentricities_of_kitties/pseuds/eccentricities_of_kitties
Summary: Blair and Jim getting ready for bed, during a case that has left Jim medically blind.





	The Golden Sight

**Author's Note:**

> The intimacy in this episode, the way Jim had to trust Blair with more things? Adorable. I had to write something on it.

Blair helped Jim up the stairs, letting the taller man lean on him for support and pausing at each step to make sure his feet were safely positioned for the sentinel to get to the top in one piece, valiantly ignoring the vigorous complaining. My knees hurt, Blair. I'm so tired, Blair. My bedding is too scratchy, Blair. 

 

_ I'm tired too, man. Jeez.  _

 

“My pillows are so loud, Blair,” Jim complained, hands venturing into open air. “You don't understand - every movement is like an avalanche in my ears.”

 

Blair sighed, good-naturedly. “Did you use the softener I got you? Did you put on the covers I got you?”

 

Jim stumbled, fingers catching in Blair’s hair in an effort not to fall. Blair hissed in pain but held himself up, grimacing as Jim's frustration bled through their bond. He hated relying on Blair, hated the pressure it put on Blair to look after him even more than he already did. At the same time, he was so humbled by the attention and care that Blair put into being his Guide, even more than his regular training with Jim. 

 

“I don't want goat hair pillows, it makes my room smell like a petting zoo,” he grumbled, softening his grip on Blair, hearing his Guides teeth grinding in annoyance. “Look, I appreciate when you do these things, sometimes it's just too much. I like the white noise generator though, it helped a lot. Thank you.”

 

“Mm,” Blair hummed, feeling the irritation fade out of him. 

 

He can't ever stay mad at Jim when he was doing his gruff-niceness bit. The Sentinels guilt was tangible, and the small, snarky part of Blair wanted to let Jim think he really was mad. But, a larger, louder part of him was enjoying the closeness that Jim was allowing in light of the new situation. Being able to hold hands more to lead him around, dressing him, helping him eat - it was all bringing them closer. Jim kept him at arm’s length a lot of the time, worried secretly that his feelings for Blair would distract him from his job, from saving people. These little things, they were a closeness that wasn’t usually permitted in front of others. And let’s not forget the main attraction…

 

“Blair...can you stay with me again tonight?”

 

Jim usually insisted on solitary sleep; it was just easier. They slept and woke at different times, Blair staying up to study and Jim getting up early to work out, so it made sense that they stay separate on typical nights. It was only weekends and days off that Blair was allowed into Jim’s bed. So territorial. With his eyes out of commission, Jim needed Blair to help him around of course, and, even though their home was very familiar at this point, Jim still wasn’t used to the absence of his primary sense. Blair had been staying with him both nights so far.

 

“Sure,” he said easily, hoping his excitement wasn’t too noticeable. “Whatever.”

 

They had reached the top, and Jim started undressing. 

 

He snorted. “Don’t ‘whatever’ me. I might be blind but I can still hear your heart from the other side of town. And wipe that smug little smirk off your face.”

 

Blair smirked more. “How do you know I’m smirking?”

 

Jim, now in just boxers, cupped Blair’s chin. “These lines appear,” he felt along Blair’s mouth, “and your eyes squint along here,” fingers danced above his cheekbone, “and your breathing changes, just a little,” he added, mouth tracing down Blair’s neck to his collarbone. 

 

Blair leant into his touch, held prisoner by every word, watching Jim’s blind, blue eyes dilate slightly in response to his Guide’s obvious interest. 

 

“Alright,” Blair admitted, voice lowered. “You got me. I like this - I like being close to you, sleeping next to you.”

 

Jim pulled off Blair’s shirt. “I got you,” he said, working at his pants. “I know you like it, your heart’s been going crazy. You reek of nervous sweat, your breathing is constantly elevated and good God, I can practically taste your cock _ all day _ , because all you want to do is come home, so I can do this,” and Jim’s hand was on Blair’s crotch.

 

Blair flushed. “If I’d known you knew, I’d have asked you to fuck me in the bathroom at work.”

 

His fingers dug purposefully into Blair’s hair, the way he liked, pulling his head back at the perfect angle to be kissed hungrily. Blair relaxed limply into Jim’s grip.

 

“Please, Jim…” Blair whispered against his cheek, the other’s mouth again on his neck. Jim smiled, and licked and sucked. 

 

Blair growled, losing it. “Please, just do it, just, please, fuck me.”

 

“Not tonight, baby,” Jim whispered, and Blair fought the urge to sulk. “I can’t do it like this. I gotta see you.”

 

“Okay,” Blair accepted, stealing one last kiss before grouching away to put pyjamas on. “There was no need to tease, y’know. I could have waited if you hadn’t blindsided me just now.”

 

“I didn’t mean to - just couldn’t let you get away with it much longer. Pretending to be all grumpy about helping me when you’re actually enjoying it,” Jim taunted, and pulled Blair into a hug. “But once this case is in the ground…”                         

 

“Oh great,” Blair rolled his eyes good-naturedly, slipping on a cotton shirt. “I’ll mark my calendar.”

 

“Just ‘cause we aren’t fooling around doesn’t mean you can wear that poly - thene - cotton crap in my bed. That stuff’s fibers stay for weeks after you stay over,” Jim grumbled. 

 

Blair grinned and stripped obligingly. “Too bad you’re blind and can’t see the amazing show I’m putting on then.”

 

Jim snorted, sitting on the edge of the bed. “You and I both know the only moves you have are the moonwalk and body rolls that aren’t exactly for the faint of heart.”

 

“Fair enough,” Blair conceded, heading to the bathroom. “You don’t mind if I shower first, right?”

 

Jim threw a blithe look in his general direction, and Blair scratched his neck guiltily.

 

“Oh right, so, uh, how do you wanna play this?”

 

Jim shrugged. “I forgot to ask if you’d be okay with it, but I was hoping you could help me out, y’know; shower together?”

 

Blair was quiet for a moment, and Jim tentatively reached out to see what he was feeling and was humbled to feel awe. He welcomed Jim’s presence, both physically and mentally embracing him. Jim’s boundaries were everything to him.  _ I just like to keep things separate, y’know _ , he’d say. It was hard for him to open up to Blair with a routine he’d had for so long. Normal couples showered together, slept together, ate together, sat together, spent most of their time, well...together. But Jim was all about the job, keeping himself in shape, rested and prepared to get into action at any time. For that, he needed to keep his senses in balance and Blair tended to be loud and bright in every way possible. It meant so much that Jim was letting him in, even just for this short time until his vision was back to normal.

“I know I can be…” Jim trailed off, searching for the right word.

 

“Territorial? Intense? While also maintaining an unbearable distance?”

 

“Yeah,” Jim said quietly.

 

Blair stood on tip-toes to quickly plant a kiss. “Yes.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Yeah, you can shower with me, beef stick.”

 

Jim cringed, and the heavy moment passed. “Oh god...that was one hell of a trip. Never again. No more boats.”

 

“I liked her cocoa. And she had great taste in books,” he remembered, and Jim clipped him playfully. “You’re jealous because she gave me a nickname.”

 

Jim shrugged, called out. “It didn’t suit you anyway. ‘Lamb chop’, what the hell was she thinking?”

 

“And only you get to give me pet names, right?”

 

Jim shrugged neutrally, but internally nodded  _ 100% yes, damn straight I'm the only one allowed _ . Blair grinned a little at the possessive jealousy he could feel leaking over to him through their bond. 

 

He was distracted by the shower. “Okay how are we doing this, then? I swear to god, Jim, I'm not having a cold shower. I don't care if it turns white fat onto beige fat, it's horrifying.”

 

“Alright, alright,” Jim relented. “But not too hot, I want to have some skin left after this.”

 

“Is this middle ground enough for you?” Blair said. After adjusting the water, he guided Jim’s hand into the spray. 

 

“It'll do,” he said gruffly. 

 

They were so close, and yet Blair could tell Jim was still hesitant to ask him for help with getting into the tub. So many boundaries, what Blair was and wasn't allowed to help with. 

 

“Here,” he said, stepping in first and holding Jim’s hands to help him in. The thanks were in the way he kept holding Blair’s hands.

 

Blair positioned Jim with his back to the shower head, and stood in front of him, that way the water hit both of them a little. He picked up Jim’s caffeine boosting shampoo and squirmed the right amount onto his hand. He used the regular pine and sandal scented for his own hair. Jim perked up slightly at the smell, a familiar scent he accociated strongly with Blair and his ridiculous amount of hair. It had taken a while for them to find products for Blair that agreed with Jim’s senses. He missed strawberry shampoo, but this one was nicer anyway. 

 

They leant closer to rinse off, and bubbled foam ran over their skin. Blair passed Jim the soap bar, and picked up the bottle of shower gel he preferred, the same brand and scent as the shampoo. 

 

The soap slipped out of Jim’s hand and Blair chuckled wryly. 

 

“You dropped the soap there, pal. Hey, let me get that,” he said, but Jim was already crouching, feeling around for it. 

 

“I got it,” Jim grunted, his searching hands nowhere near the soap. 

 

Blair was patient. “11 o’clock. More left.”

 

Jim found it, and sighed. “I'm like Velma, feeling around for her damn glasses. I don't like this.”

 

“It's okay, Jim.”

 

“No it's not. I can't even shower without you looking after me,” Jim sighed, finally standing.

 

“Is it really so bad, having me do this?” Blair asked, something he'd been thinking about since it had happened. “Why do you want to keep me away?”

 

“Just leave it, Blair.”

 

“Am I not good enough? I've got everything memorised, all the things you are and aren't okay with, things I can and can't do. I just don't know what more - this is all I have - I can't -”

 

Jim’s arms around him brought him out of the spiral. 

 

“Shh, Blair. Calm down, I've got you,” he whispered, and Blair breathed heavily against his bare chest. “Of course you're good enough. That's the problem. When you have something perfect, like vision, if it goes away all of a sudden…it’s hard to function without it.”

 

It took Blair a moment to understand what he was saying, and Jim wished so badly he could see his face. 

 

“You think I’m going to leave?”

 

“Or something could take you away. Another job, another person. I could lose you altogether, on a case. Life without you in it is a possibility I don't know how to deal with.”

 

Blair wiped water off Jim’s face. “You're a damn idiot, you know that? There's nowhere I'd rather be than with you. And I'm much more likely to lose you on a case than you are to lose me. I've made my peace with that idea.”

 

“How?” Jim asked, humbled. 

 

“If you were doing anything other than helping people, you wouldn't be happy. This is the best way you can do that, so it's a necessary risk. It's your passion. And my passion is my work, and that's you. So really, we're right where we need to be. Together.”

 

He could feel that Jim was already a lot calmer, a lot more stable. The rest of their time in the shower was spent running hands along each others skin, something Jim liked doing. He could feel every detail on Blair’s skin, and revelled in the sensation of Blair’s nails dragging across his back. Blair towelled them both off, trying to mask his pleasure at Jim’s continuing efforts to let him in. 

 

“Dry your hair first, wet head,” Jim said, before Blair could soak his pillow. 

 

“And they say romance is dead,” Blair drawled, and sauntered down to his room to dry his hair. He wasn't allowed to keep the dryer in Jim’s ensuite for obvious reasons. 

 

When he'd finished, Jim was waiting in bed already. He crawled in, and settled at the edge, so Jim could make the next move.

 

“Do you get a kick out of me having to pull you closer when you perch on the end like that?”

 

“...Maybe. You know already, I kinda like being manhandled.”

 

He squeaked when Jim’s hands attacked his stomach, simultaneously tickling him and drawing him closer. Jim may have been blind, but he knew exactly where on his stomach Blair was most ticklish. 

 

“Alright, alright, Jim, please!” he screamed in laughter, curling in on himself and writhing, when Jim pulled him back and tickled him all the more. 

 

Jim laughed too. “I thought you liked being manhandled.”

 

Blair spoke between laughing. “Come - come on, man - let go, let go. Please?” 

 

Jim finally relented, and Blair relaxed against him, recovering. 

 

“Oh man, my stomach aches from laughing so much,” Blair said, smiling.

 

“Come here, then.”

 

Jim turned on his side, so they were spooning, and threw his arm around Blair’s waist. He buried his nose in hair that was still warm from the dryer and smelling as comforting and familiar as ever. 

 

“When you get your sight back, are we going back to our usual routine? Because I don't mind if we do, I mean I like the way we're doing things right now, but I understand if you -”

 

“It's alright, Blair. We can keep all the arrangements we made out of convenience, like when we're getting up and doing things at different times. But I won't push you away anymore.”

 

Blair sighed contentedly. “Works for me.”

 

He turned over, to fall asleep watching Jim watching over him. Even though he couldn't see him tonight, Jim always waited until Blair was asleep to sleep himself, out of a protective instinct. Blair took this rare opportunity to see it happen. Stoic eyes stared back at him, as his own eyes finally drooped, his breathing evened out and his body relaxed completely. 

 

Jim could not see Blair clearly past a golden, swirling mirage. It was beautiful, Blair through the gaze of midas eyes. 


End file.
